Pole elevator



April 28, 1970 H. s. ELMORE POLE ELEVATOR Filed NOV. 6, 1968 nvvszvron.

m Y 6'. EZMORE United States Patent Office 3,508,632 Patented Apr. 28, 1970 3,508,632 POLE ELEVATOR Harry S. Elmore, 3006 Pitt St., Anderson, Ind. 46014 Filed Nov. 6, 1968, Ser. No. 773,877 Int. 'Cl. B66b 11/06 US. Cl. 187-27 3 Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE An elevator for use in a two story home for the movement of passengers and small freight, the elevator comprising a platform movable vertically along a pipe extending through the central portion of the platform, the lower end of the pipe being supported upon a base stationed upon the floor of the lower story, the pipe extending through a large opening in the floor of the second story for receiving the platform, and the upper end of the pipe being connected to the ceiling of the second story.

This invention relates generally to passenger elevators. More particularly it relates to elevators for small homes which generally incorporate only two floors.

A principal concept of the present invention is to provide a novel elevator for a small home, and which requires a minimum amount of space so as to not take up valuable room within the house.

Another concept of the present invention provides a novel elevator which comprises a vertically movable platform movable along a pipe extending through the central portion thereof, and wherein the platform is movable upwardly into a large opening formed in the floor of the second story.

Another concept of the present invention provides a pole elevator wherein the platform closes the opening in the second story floor when the platform is in its upward position, thereby closing the opening so to prevent any small children from falling therethrough.

Other concepts of the present invention provide a pole elevator which is simple in design, inexpensive to manufacture, rugged in construction, easy to use and efiicient in operation.

These and other features and details will be readily evident upon a study of the following specification and the accompanying drawing of an embodiment of the invention which illustrates the inventive concepts,wherein:

FIGURE 1 is a side elevation view of the present invention, shown partly in cross section;

FIGURE 2 is an enlarged fragmentary side elevation view of the pipe showing one of the control stations; and

FIGURE 3 is an enlarged cross sectional view taken on the lines 33 of FIG. 1.

Referring now to the embodiment as shown in the drawing in detail, the reference numeral indicates a pole elevator according to the present invention, wherein there is a vertical pipe 11 secured at its lower end upon a base 12, the opposite end of the pipe being secured within a fitting 13 secured to the ceiling 14 of a second story 15 of a house.

An electric motor 16 is fitted into a chamber 17 within the base 12, the motor having a motor shaft 18 driving through a reduction gear unit 19 having output shaft 20 carrying a reel 21 upon which one end of a cable 22 is secured. The pipe 11 includes a hollow central chamber 23 within which the cable 22 extends upwardly; and the cable 22 is passed around a pulley 24 mounted adjacent the upper portion of the pipe 11 and rotatably free within the pipe upon a transversely extending pin 25. The opposite end of the cable 22 then extends downwardly within the pipe 11 and is connected at its opposite end to a bracket 26 having a cylindrical sleeve portion 27 contained within the shaft or pipe opening 23, the sleeve having a radially outwardly extending flange portion 28 upon which a platform 29 is secured.

As shown in FIGURE 3 of the drawing, the pipe 11 is provided with a pair of diametrically spaced apart, verti cally extending slots 30 so to permit connection of the flange 28 integrally with the sleeve 27 so to form the bracket 26. It will thus be evident that movement of the sleeve 27 within the pipe will cause the platform 29 to travel along the outer side of the pipe.

The pipe 11 extends upwardly through an enlarged opening 31 formed in the floor 32 of the second story, the opening 31 being of a size which is equal to the configuration and size of the platform 29 which is receivable within the opening during vertical travel upwardly as is indicated by the arrow 33'. A railing 34 is placed around the opening 31 so as to prevent persons upon the second floor from falling through the opening 31 accidentally. The railing 34 is provided with a gate 35 which is pivotable between a closed and an open position so as to permit persons to step upon the platform 29 when it is in its upward position within the opening 31. Obviously to prevent small children from falling through the opening 31, the elevator platform 29 may be normally maintained within the opening thereby preventing a small child to fall therethrough, or the railing 34 may be of a nature so that a solid side wall comprising the same will prevent access for a small child therethrough.

A pair of control stations 36 are provided along the pipe 11 whereby a passenger may operate the elevator from either the first or second story of the house. The control stations each comprise a switch unit 37 which includes a start button 38 and a stop button 39 for the purpose of closing an electrical circuit to the motor 16.

In the operative use, a person merely stands upon the platform 29 and depresses the start button 38, thereby causing the motor to reel in or reel out the cable 22, thereby allowing the platform to movevertically along the pipe 11, it being noted that the pipe 11 extends through a central opening 40 formed in the platform.

It is to be noted that the mechanical structure may be appropriately varied for more efiicient construction, such as providing eight wheels of which four are on each side of an I beam for the purpose of supporting the platform brackets 26 and platform 29 from within the pipe 11. Such changes are however simply mechanical refinements, and are still within the scope of the present invention.

While various changes may be made in the details of construction, without departing from the spirit and scope of the novel concepts of the present invention as is de fined by the appended claims. Accordingly, the invention is not to be considered limited to the specific form or arrangement herein described and shown.

What is claimed is:

1. In a pole elevator having a vertical pipe, said vertical pipe extending through a plurality of stories of a house, said pipe having a platform vertically movable along the length thereof, said platform being provided in its central portion with an opening through which said pipe extends, and power means for moving said platform along said pipe;

and in which the lower end of said pipe is mounted upon a base means provided on a floor of a lower story of said house, the upper end of said pipe being secured within a fitting mounted upon the ceiling of the uppermost story of said house incorporating said pole elevator, and said pipe extending through an enlarged opening in a floor between said stories, said opening in said floor being of a size and a configuration of said platform for purpose of receiving therein the same;

3 4 and in which power means are provided, including an form through said radially outwardly extending supelectric motor having a motor shaft driving through port means. a gear reduction unit carrying a reel on an output 2. The combination as set forth in claim 1 wherein said shaft, said reel being located beneath said pipe, said opening in said floor of said second story is encircled by pipe comprising a hollow member, one end of a 5 a protective railing having a gate for admitting a person cable being secured upon said reel, said cable extendtherethrough for gaining access to said platform.

ing upwardly within said pipe, around a pulley 3. The combination as set forth in claim 2 wherein a mounted rotatably free within an upper portion of control station is located in each story of said house said pipe, said pulley being mounted upon a transincorporating said pole elevator, each said control station versely extending pin, the opposite end of said cable 10 comprising a switch unit along said pipe and including extending downwardly from said pulley and being a start and stop button for operating said motor.

operatively secured to said platform;

in a combination wherein said pipe includes a pair of References C'ted diametrically spaced, vertical, elongated slots, sup- UNITED STATES PATENTS port means Within the il'llZCI'lOl Of Said pipe and a 15 341 9 5/1886 Clark 1 7 9 radially outwardly extending support means opera- 2122 908 7/1938 Collins tively secured to the said platform, said radially out- 2:966:996 1/1961 Friend 187 17 wardly extending support means being supportingly connected to said pipe-interior support means and ex- FOREIGN PATENTS tending through said slots of said pipe whereby said 20 659,656 5/1938 Germany.

platform may travel adjacent the outer side of said pipe during vertical movement, and said opposite end HARVEY HORNSBY Primary Examiner of said cable connected to said platform comprises US. Cl. X.R. a terminal end operatively connected to said plat- 18795 

